A Thousand Years
by S. Gordan
Summary: I'm awful at summary's so short of the long - A woman from Severus's past comes as the new muggle studies professor, meaning its going to be one interesting year!


"So you'll take the position?" Albus asked. Judging by the twinkle in his eyes and the smile on his face, he already knew the awnser.

"Yes, I'd love to. I cant promise I'll be any good at teaching but what the hell, why not." Melinda said with a smile.

"Wonderful my girl. I was so hoping that would be the answer. I'll need you here tonight if at all possible. The faculty usually arrives tonight using this week prior to school starting to get settled in," he said his twinkle kicking into over drive "I've also planned a small social tonight for the faculty and a few members of the Order. It will be a nice chance to get us all introduced to one another. Seeing as sometime in the future I fear we will all be working very close with one another. I'm not at all sure how close or far away it will be, but may as well have a head start." the headmaster finished.

"That sounds lovely. And tonight will be perfect. I'll just pop home and pack and be back by four at the latest I should think." Melinda replied brushing her bangs away from her face. She had beautiful hair chestnut brown that fell to the dimples in her back, curling from about her shoulder blades down. Her bangs swept to the left side and she was constantly cursing them for getting in her way.

"Out of curiosity who will be attending exactly?" she inquired her honey coloured eyes full fo curiosity and wonder.

"While most of the staff is here a week early not all will be. I know Minerva Mcgonagall, Poppy Pompfry, Nymphadora Tonks - our newly appointed Defense Professor, Rowlonda Hooch, our new History of Magic Professor - Remus Lupin. Of the Order I know Molly and Arthur Weasly and their family will be here. Harry Potter's in their care at the moment, as is another special student of ours a Miss Hermione Granger. Hagrid...and oh yes our Potions Master - Professor Severus Snape." he purposefully saved Severus for last watching her reaction. Her expressive eyes widened.

"Oh...uh... s-so Severus teaches here as well d-does he?" she asked cursing herself for stumbling over the words.

She and Severus had a past. And it wasn't a good one. Well for her atleast.

"Yes...that won't be a problem will it?" the Headmaster inquired standing.

Melinda followed suit crossing the large room with him. "No sir, not at all. I was simply surprised he taught here, thats all." she said stopping at the fireplace.

"Yes and he does a marvelous job, I must say." Albus said smiling brightly.

"Er, uh.. Well.. Good.. And it will be nice to see some familiar faces." the young witch said not knowing at all what to say. "I best get home and get my packing done now Headmaster, if you'll excuse me. I'll be back shortly." she didn't wait for the reply, throwing her floo powder in. As soon as she heard his name she had wanted to leave as quickly as possible. Just to get her thoughts organized.

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I've found almost everything ever written about love to be true. Shakespeare said "Journeys end in lovers meeting." What an extraordinary thought. I suppose I think

about love more than anyone really should. I am constantly amazed by its sheer power to alter and define our lives. It was Shakespeare who also said "love is blind". Now that is something I know to be true. For some quite inexplicably, love fades; for others love is simply lost. But then of course love can also be found, even if just for the night. And then, there's another kind of love: the cruelest kind. The one that almost kills its victims. Its called unrequited love. Of that I am an expert. Most love stories are about people who fall in love with each other. But what about the rest of us? What about our stories, those of us who fall in love alone? We are the victims of the one sided affair. We are the cursed of the loved ones. We are the unloved ones, the walking wounded. The handicapped without the advantage of a great parking space! Yes. That would be me. Melinda thought to herself as she staired around her home looking for anything she might have missed. She was perched on the largest of the three massive trunks she had, a small peice of parchment in one hand a half gone bottle of red wine in the other. Lord was Dumbledore quick. Almost as soon as she arrived home from the floo there was an owl waiting outside her window to give her the details of her new quarters at Hogwarts.

"Bloody Hell." Melinda said aloud, thinking over what the next year would be like. She'd have to see him every day, and she still wasn't sure how she felt about that. It wasn't like they had a falling out or anything. Simply never really spoke after a few years out of school. There wasn't a day that went by that she didn't wish she'd hear from him, or see him or run across him as she was out. She fell in love with him in school, unbeknown to him, and had never completely fallen out of it. Back then he was quite obviously in love with Lily Evans, a Gryffindor of their year. She, however, was in love with James Potter, too in love to pay attention to the obvious. Very much in the same way Severus was too in love to see that Melinda was obviously in love with him.

Melinda sighed loudly as she stood, swaying slightly. She was always a light weight when it came to drinking. She set her bottle down on the coffee table deciding she had all she needed and shrunk her trunks picking them up and hiding them away in the pocket of her robes.

She picked the bottle up once more holding it up slightly. "Heres to...oh bloody hell I've nothing to toast to." she said, giving up on thinking up something possative, and instead chugging down the rest of the bottle in an attempt to ease her nerves.

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Melinda was almost completely settled into her new home, after having to expand the closets size knowing full well she'd need more room then what was provided. She had a very comfortable sized quarters. It had a lovely little kitchen she redecorated. Casting the walls in a pale yellow, the counter tops a pale green and the floor a light wood. The living room now had a black stone fireplace with rich, dark coloured wood floors. An overstuffed white couch, sofa, and two chair set that was white with small elegant silver flowers on them and a coffee table that was a light coloured wood. On top of the coffee table sat a large vase of calla lilies. Her bedroom she cast the walls to be a pale blue, her large four poster bed she fixed to be fitted with a thick black duvet, on it were seven decorative pillows four black two white and one pink besides her normal pillows underneath. The flooring was a simple pine. The bath was a gray with black and lavender accents with a very large claw-foot tub off to the side.

She finished all this right on time. It was twenty minutes til the time she was supposed to be in the Great Hall for dinner, as her owl from Albus stated. And she decided she had better fix herself up a bit before meeting everyone. She opted for her emerald green with accents of ivory dress robes with the deep v-cut since there wouldn't actually be students there. She stared in the mirror at her hair decided finally to have it half up half down, and with the wiggle of her nose it was done and looked perfect.

She brushed her bangs alittle more towards the side and decided that was as good as it was going to get. She exited her quarters and quickly realized she had absolutely no idea where her quarters were exactly located in the castle, Albus's owl didn't say.

"Bullocks." she cursed after walking the length of the corridor her chambers were located on and discovering eight different directions she could go in, atleast a dozen doors just like hers, and nothing looking familiar from her days at Hogwarts. Just then she heard footsteps coming up from behind her and she turned desperately to see who it was. As soon as her eyes settled on the owner of the steps her chest tightened.

'Oohhhh I hate my life!' Melinda shouted in her head. 'Of all people it had to be Severus? Really?'

He stopped a short distance from her, his eyes confused. She could tell he was trying to put a name to the face. She had to admit she had changed a considerable amount since the last time he saw her.

She once looked quite frazzled and frumpy. Her hair was always shorter and slightly frizzy and she had worn clothes that swallowed her up until she decided a change was in order about a year ago. However the searching in his eyes told her he recognized her face. Her heart shaped face, honey brown eyes that were always so warm, her thin nose that most people paid plastic surgeons to get. He knew he knew her.

"Melinda Maitland?" he said sounding shocked.

Melinda nodded with a small smile. He didn't notice the sadness in her eyes. "Its been quite some time since I've seen you." she said softly. "You haven't changed a bit."

"You certainly have." he said his still wide, shocked eyes running down her body. "You look beautiful." he said quietly.

Melinda blushed. "Thank you."

He closed the distance between them and pulled her into an embrace. Had any of his students been there they would have died in shock. However this was how they had always been, it was just hard for her to be around him this way when she wanted for so long them to be something more. He held her like that for a long moment before pulling away keeping her at arms length. "So what are you doing here?" he asked smiling. His students were certainly in for an interesting year.

"Well Ablus gave me the Muggle Studies position." Melinda replied. "And I was headed for the Great Hall when it hit me I have no idea where I am."

Severus laughed, a sound she missed and thought of often. "Well then I can be your escort. I was headed for that sodding dinner as well." he said dropping his hands and holding out his arm for her to take. Tentatively she did, after a moment of debate in her head.

"I take it your not looking forward to it?" Melinda stated as they walked, making mental notes in her head of all the turns.

He snorted. "No, these type of things Albus always throws together are usually long and extremely boring. No doubt it will soon be focused on the Potter brat."

"Who Harry? I take it he's not one of your favorite students?" Melinda said looking up at him. His face changed to one of annoyance.

"He's completely inept, has complete disregard for the rules, and runs sniveling to Albus over every little thing. He's simply not used to not being treated like the little pamperd prince he is at home and Albus lets him get away with it. Sometimes I think he even encourages it the way he lets him get by with things and bends the rules around him... He's just like his father." he said his face holding a look of disgust.

'I wonder if he's more mad at the fact that, Harry's, James' son and not his?' Melinda thought to herself sadly. 'He wanted her so much, that has to be it.'

They arrived in the Great Hall seconds later, to Melinda's surprise everyone was already there. As she walked in she saw a few odd looks in her direction but she didn't pay attention she had let go of Severus's arm and was running into an open pair of another.

"Auntie Minnie!" Melinda gushed throwing her arms around Minerva.

"Its so good to see you my darling girl!" Minerva said squeezing her tightly. "Its been too long! Now stand back and let me have a look at you!" she said holding her at arms length. "I swear you get more beautiful every time I see you." she said touching her cheek affectionately.

"Thank you. Oh I've missed you." Melinda said hugging her once more.

"As have I. I was so happy to hear you'll be working here with me-" Minerva was started but was cut off when someone came from behind Melinda and lifted her off the ground in a big bear hug. She laughed, it was a tinkling laugh, like chimes in the wind.

"Melinda!" the man said as he sat her down. She could hear the smile in her voice.

"Remus Lupin!" the young witch said turning to hug him. "How longs it been?" she said

"Too long!" he replied pulling back from their embrace but not letting go. "I think the last time I saw you was when we all went out for drinks this New Years."

"I believe your right." Melinda said smiling. She felt eyes on her and glanced behind Remus to see Severus looking at the two of them. For a moment she thought she saw saddness in his eyes and maybe longing? She wasn't sure it changed so quickly to a glare that shot daggers at Remus.

"Nymphadora and Rowlanda are over there, I'm not sure they've seen you come in." he said. And surprisingly it look like they hadn't. They must have been in deep conversation to have not heard all the shouting. So Melinda made her way over, coming up behind them and putting a hand lightly on each of their shoulders. They both turned a confused look on their faces that was soon replaced with one of delight. The woman almost flipped the bench they were sitting in trying to get up fast enough to hug her.

"Mel!" they both crowed. "What the hell are you doing here?" Rowlanda asked as the three separated.

"Didn't you hear? I'm the new Muggle Studies Professor." Melinda replied smiling wide.

"My God, three new professors in one year!" she said surprised. "But I'm so glad two of them are you."

"Its going to be just like old times you realize." Tonks said smiling mischievously. "The three of us together again in this castle?"

"Yes, but this time we're adults and this time we wont be having to get bailed out of our... situations by Aunt Minnie every other weekend." Melinda giggled reminiscing on their times together. They may have all been from different houses but they were together so much growing up they were like sisters. After Melinda's parents had passed away in a muggle car accident she had been sent to live with her mothers sister, Minerva. Who lived in a small wizarding village that Rowlanda and Nymphadora's families also lived in. They had become friends early on and at Hogwarts had been know as quite the trouble makers. It always helped that Minerva was deputy headmistress. Though none of the other students ever mentioned it for fear of punishment, Minerva showed nepotism towards Melinda and of course the two that were practically family as well.

"Meaning it'll be more fun." Tonks said smiling wide. "We don't have to hide the alcohol now."

"If everyone would be seated, I believe dinner is ready to be served." Albus announced. Tonks and Rowlanda sat back down and Melinda quickly took a seat next to Rowlanda, her stomach growling. She hadn't even noticed how hungry she was until now. She felt someone sit beside her and looked over to see Severus settling in but he wasn't looking at her. She glanced back over to her friends and they looked beside her, eyes growing concerned. They knew without it being said exactly what she was thinking. And she felt Rowlanda's hand find hers under the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze before letting go.

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Several hours later dinner was over and Melinda felt as if she couldn't leave the Great Hall fast enough. She couldn't take sitting next to him, speaking to him, watching him anymore. She was walking as quickly as she could in the first direction she found. She heard footsteps behind her and immediately knew it was her two loyal friends.

"Mel, you don't know where your going." Tonks said struggling to keep up as Melinda twisted and turned down random halls.

"Yes I do." she said stubbornly full well knowing she didn't.

"You don't know where you are." Rowlanda called quickening her pace to keep up with them.

"Yes I do. I'm in hell." Melinda said rounding the corner to find a dead end. "Bloody hell." she murmured turning around.

"Mel stop. I know this probably feels really overwhelming and hard but... its been thirteen years." Rowlanda said gently. "Don't you think you should try getting over him? Just be friends."

"Just be friends? Row, thats what we've always been! I don't know why this is so hard. You'd think time would have made this easier but it hasn't. And now that she's gone its even easier for me to hope that we have a chance. When logically I know thats never going to happen, and knowing that kills me!" she replied close to tears.

"We know honey. We're just trying to help. We watched you in pain for so long and we just don't want to see you in it again. The past few years you seem like you've been pretty happy but now you seem like the same girl you were thirteen years ago just waiting for him to see you. For him to see you the way you want him to see you." said Tonks putting her hand on Melinda's shoulder.

"I know, I know." Melinda replied looking down. "It was just hard not seeing him, and then seeing him today. And him acting like no time has passed - picking up where we left off all those years ago."

The two women pulled their friend into a comforting embrace each murmuring reassuring things until Melinda pulled away.

"Thank you." she said wiping the remnant of a tear away. "Its alright, I know what to do. I'm going to be friends but not the same way we were. I simply can't do that. Be that close anyway."

"Good. Thats our girl!" Tonks said proudly. "Now lets get drunk and forget this nonsense!"

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A/N: thank you all so much for reading, if you've gotten to this point, I'm extremely excited. please review. good bad or ugly - it doesn't matter to me. atleast I'll know how I'm doing, whether to continue or not. which i i figured I'd explain a few things as well. our dear Severus is a year older than Mel, but they were in the same classes since she was so much more advanced in her magic. this takes place in Harry's second year which i believe I'll mention but I'm writing this bit in the middle of writing it at the moment. so in case i don't get to it, thats that. and also as much as I'd love to i do not own any of these people, except for Mel. and i do not own a few loved quotes from movies i borrow, with every intention of giving them back i might add.


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